Dr. Ahmed Kamal Acquires a German Research Grant: The Prestigious Deutsche Forschungs gemeins chaft

The University of Hertfordshire in Egypt, hosted by Global academic foundation, is pleased to announce that Dr. Ahmed Kamal Elhady, a faculty member and lecturer at the School of Life and Medical Sciences, has been awarded an Initiation of International Collaboration grant from the prestigious Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) in Germany. The collaboration will be done with Associate Professor Dr Matthias Engel at Saarland University, Saarbrucken, Germany. In this interview, Dr Ahmed Kamal shares his experience and insights for winning the grant and his advice to current and future chemists.

Can you give us a background on your academic journey and when did you join UH-GAF?

I graduated from the faculty of Pharmacy and Biotechnology in 2012. After that, I received my Master’s degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry in 2015. This was followed by studying for one year and three months to Germany, where I finished the practical work of my PhD. I acquired my PhD in 2018, and I joined UH-GAF in January 2021.

Which module or field of study do you teach here at UH?

I have taught three modules till now. For the foundation year, I taught Chemistry 1 and Advanced Chemistry. For level four, I taught the Foundations of Pharmaceutical Chemistry. I was also the module lead for Chemistry 1 during the B-C cycle.  

Could you please inform us on the grant that you received and how you are planning on using it?

It’s called Initiation of international Collaboration Grant provided by the DFG (German Research Foundation). This is a famous organization in Germany that provides funds for postdoctoral research. It is a travel grant, so I’m going to use that grant and have a research stay at the Chemistry Department at Saarland University, in Saarbrucken in Germany. I will also work at the Helmholtz Institute in the same state.

How did teaching at UH help you further pursue your passion?

I was provided the position to be a lecturer for various classes here at UH, which improved my presentation skills and the way I teach and interact with the students. Also, UH always provides us with an extra day off, which helped me continue and invest in my research projects.

What advice would you like to give chemists or pharmacists who are trying to have their personal projects achieved or funded?

First of all, I would advise them by saying that there are lots of funds and lots of opportunities that these young scientists can benefit from and use. These funds are easier to get if you have a high research profile and you have a high number of publications in high-impact journals. Also, one important thing you must do when you apply for any fund is that you must have proof of concept. This means that you have to experiment and try this concept that you are applying for before applying. This will all facilitate that you get the fund.

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